Management and mental health expert Amy Armstrong offers her advice on how best to counsel your co-workers.
“Nothing in life is certain, except death and taxes,” – it’s a saying that will ring particularly true with HR professionals who are sometimes tasked with handling both. But while duties and dues can be a headache, helping someone through bereavement can have a huge impact on their wellbeing – so how do you best support your staff in their time of need? According to management and mental health expert Amy Armstrong, there are six steps you should follow.
Psychologists Kübler-Ross and Keller describe the five stages of grief – beginning with denial then anger, bargaining, depression and finally acceptance. However, Armstrong stresses that each person grieves in a different way and at different speeds so there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.
“During the grief process, individuals may behaviour out of character,” adds Armstrong. “This can be part of the grieving process for some people, so it is important that colleagues do not judge or criticise seemingly uncharacteristic behaviour.”
“Work may be part of the coping process, so limit your expectations of these individuals and do not assume that they will be able to perform at the same level straight away,” advises Armstrong. “It may be weeks, months or years before an individual is able to perform at the level they once did.”
“By treating people as adults and giving them the choice, most people will return to work within a timescale that is acceptable to the organisation,” says Armstrong.
Research has also suggests that a companies with compassionate bereavement and sickness policies have more committed employees and a higher retention rate.
“Work to create opportunities for individuals to speak in confidence about their grief experiences,” advises Armstrong. “Having someone you trust and can confide in at work can significantly aid an individual’s recovery. “
She recalls an instance when a well-meaning manager chose not to inform the team that a fellow employee had experienced a bereavement - believing he was respecting confidentiality. However, when the individual returned to work and nobody acknowledged his trauma, he assumed everyone was trying to avoid a difficult situation. In this circumstance, there’s a harmful disconnect in the team that could serve to further alienate and upset the grieving employee.
Following bereavement, some employees may experience ongoing mental health issues such as anxiety and depression – it’s important that managers remain vigilant to the possible side effects.
Confidently coping with bereavement in the workplace is essential for the wellbeing and happiness of your team. Getting it right is an important step in improving employee retention and company culture.
- Recognize the stages of grief
Psychologists Kübler-Ross and Keller describe the five stages of grief – beginning with denial then anger, bargaining, depression and finally acceptance. However, Armstrong stresses that each person grieves in a different way and at different speeds so there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.
“During the grief process, individuals may behaviour out of character,” adds Armstrong. “This can be part of the grieving process for some people, so it is important that colleagues do not judge or criticise seemingly uncharacteristic behaviour.”
- Be aware of the role work plays
“Work may be part of the coping process, so limit your expectations of these individuals and do not assume that they will be able to perform at the same level straight away,” advises Armstrong. “It may be weeks, months or years before an individual is able to perform at the level they once did.”
- Be flexible and treat people like adults
“By treating people as adults and giving them the choice, most people will return to work within a timescale that is acceptable to the organisation,” says Armstrong.
Research has also suggests that a companies with compassionate bereavement and sickness policies have more committed employees and a higher retention rate.
- Create a ‘safe space’ to talk
“Work to create opportunities for individuals to speak in confidence about their grief experiences,” advises Armstrong. “Having someone you trust and can confide in at work can significantly aid an individual’s recovery. “
- Recognise that line managers are pivotal in the healing process
She recalls an instance when a well-meaning manager chose not to inform the team that a fellow employee had experienced a bereavement - believing he was respecting confidentiality. However, when the individual returned to work and nobody acknowledged his trauma, he assumed everyone was trying to avoid a difficult situation. In this circumstance, there’s a harmful disconnect in the team that could serve to further alienate and upset the grieving employee.
- Remain vigilant
Following bereavement, some employees may experience ongoing mental health issues such as anxiety and depression – it’s important that managers remain vigilant to the possible side effects.
Confidently coping with bereavement in the workplace is essential for the wellbeing and happiness of your team. Getting it right is an important step in improving employee retention and company culture.
